The applicant calls attention to the following prior U.S. Letters Patent which are representable of the double-walled inflatable structure art:
______________________________________ PATENTEE PATENT NO. ISSUE DATE ______________________________________ Bird 3,247,627 April 26, 1966 Blake et al. 2,238,550 April 5, 1941 Berger 654,430 July 24, 1900 Young 634,788 October 12, 1899 ______________________________________
The Bird patent discloses an inflatable structure having a plurality of elongated webs which secure the opposite walls of the inflatable structure together; however, the webs serve to separate the structure into descrete compartmented areas and are very costly to manufacture.
Blake et al. discloses a watertight spaced mattress interconnecting fixedly arranged sheets secured by means of cords.
Young and Berger relate to air inflated mattresses with simple through-passing reinforcing cords.
None of the above listed references disclose an inflatable structure with a multiplicity of oppositely situated pairs of holes with cords, and holding means therefor, extending therefrom within the walled structure, said paired holes being disposed at predetermined locations in the walled areas of the structure, so as to permit any desired shape of structure when the latter is inflated.
The present invention relates to a double-walled inflatable air supported structure suitable for use as carports, hangars, swimming pool enclosures, outdoor exhibition halls and other type of temporary or auxiliary structures. Contrary to the known types of such structures, my invention is not limited to a predetermined configuration, such as an arch-shaped enclosure, or the like.
Thus, the primary object of the invention is to provide a method for the manufacture of a wide range of structural shapes, such as square, arched, and pyramidical enclosures, or any other desirable shape. This object is basically accomplished by the use of a multiplicity of oppositely situated holding or grommet means which are mounted at variable predetermined locations over a multiplicity of paired holes in the walls of the double walled inflatable structure and which secure a multiplicity of strings, cords or the like, extending through said holes therebetween so as to cause the double walls of the structure, when inflated, to be formed into a specific desired contour or shape.
It is a further object of the invention to provide an inexpensive and simple method of erecting such structures from partially prefabricated elements. The construction method is, in fact, so simple, that it can be carried out by unskilled workers.